Three community leaders join GCU Board of Trustees

(Aug. 1, 2018) – Grand Canyon University has added three esteemed community leaders to its Board of Trustees as part of the institution’s transition to a nonprofit status.

Peggy Chase, President and CEO of Terros Health; Dr. Lupita Ley Hightower, Superintendent of the Tolleson Elementary School District; and Marion Kelly, Director for the Office for Community Affairs at Mayo Clinic, have been added to the seven-member board that oversees the nonprofit university.

They join board chairman Will Gonzalez, who has served in the City of Phoenix Prosecutor’s Office for more than 20 years; Don Andorfer, former President of the Indiana Institute of Technology; Dr. Fred Miller, Medical Director at Bridgeway Health Solutions in Tempe; and Dr. Jim Rice, retired Superintendent of the Alhambra Elementary School District, as Board of Trustees members.

“These three incredibly successful leaders embody the spirit and purpose of Grand Canyon University and bring a wealth of expertise and energy to the Board of Trustees,” Gonzalez said. “We are fortunate to have them by our side as we revert to our nonprofit status and build upon the remarkable successes that both the University and its students have achieved.”

Chase has been a progressive health care leader and innovator for more than 30 years. Her commitment to service leadership has positively impacted health care public policy through her participation on local, state and national boards and committees. Recognized as a health management expert, she is often called on by other health care leaders and state agencies for her expertise on how to achieve successful outcomes.

Chase was recently named among the Healthcare Leadership Awards and Most Influential Women by Arizona Business Magazine as well as the Most Admired Leaders by the Phoenix Business Journal.

Hightower has worked for more than 20 years in education as a teacher, mentor/coach, principal, district level director and superintendent. She is the recipient of the Jane Romatzke Out-of-School Time Leader Award in 2014 and the National Education Leadership Award from Jobs for Arizona Graduates in 2015.

She is also a past president of the Arizona Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents and serves on the Executive Committee of AASA The National Superintendents Association.

Kelly has a strong background building solid neighbor, civic and corporate relationships for the Mayo Clinic. In addition to providing leadership in community affairs, he also shares responsibilities for institutionalizing diversity as a corporate objective within the strategic plan of Mayo Clinic.

Kelly’s vast experiences include teaching elementary education, working in the United States Senate, serving in the Indiana University School of Medicine administration and as Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs at Mayo Medical School. He was also an appointee in the former Bush White House administration as Special Assistant for At Risk Youth Initiatives at the United States Department of Labor, and as the White House Liaison for the Labor Department.

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About Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona’s premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers more than 225 academic programs, emphases and certificates for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals. The University’s curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit gcu.edu.